


i wanna be great

by lostin_space



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, they just need to communicate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 13:21:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20154268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: arturo plays matchmakerORmichael finally goes to alex





	i wanna be great

**Author's Note:**

> what do you mean i have other things to write

"Alright, Mr. Oretecho, I–Alex?"

Michael froze, confusion filling him to see both Alex and Mr. Ortecho donning aprons and hairnets. It was particularly odd since, the last he heard of Alex, was that Valenti forced him to be admitted to the hospital due to dehydration. He had also banned Michael from going and took Alex's phone so he couldn't even call. He still tried.

"Hey," Alex said, smiling softly. Michael had to blink at it a few times. The smile was too sweet for a typical Alex smile. Not that Alex’s smiles weren’t sweet, but this one felt like it held a lot less trouble beneath the surface.

“Hey,” Michael breathed, taking him in as best he could. He looked _good. _Healthy. Rested. Even if he did have a hairnet.

Eventually, he forced himself to turn back to Mr. Ortecho, the whole reason for coming to the kitchen of the Crashdown. He had a knowing smile on his face. “I fixed your AC upstairs, it should be colder than it was when you bought the place.”

“Gracias, conejito,” Mr. Ortecho said, “Now go sit. Free meal for your work.”

“Nah, you don’t have to do that, I’m here to help,” Michael insisted. Mr. Ortecho had given him more than enough free meals when he was a teenager, the least he could do is repay him now with handy work.

“Absolutely not, go sit. Alex, you can take your break now,” he said, eying the two of them in the least subtle way ever. It was enough to get a couple of soft laughs and agreements. 

“So, uh, how’ve you been?” Michael asked the moment he and Alex stepped out of the kitchen. Alex took his hairnet off, releasing hair so long it fell past his eyebrows and over the tops of his ears. “Valenti said you were in the hospital, but then, like, barred me from having any contact with you.”

“Yeah, he was just being overprotective. I was overworking myself, but I’m okay now. And, you know, thanks for trying to check in on me even if Kyle wouldn’t let you,” Alex said, giving a small smile as they slid into the booth. “He currently has everyone babysitting me to make sure I do something other than research for multiple days straight. It’s Arturo’s turn.” 

“Well, that’s good. I’m glad you’re okay,” Michael said.

It quickly fell silent between them, but it wasn’t awkward. As much as they both wanted to talk, it was hard to find the words to say. They hadn’t seen each other in so long and the last time they did, it was Alex asking for some space. He said he understood why Michael had made his choices, but he was struggling to be okay with the fact that he had come back to Michael time and time again while the one time Michael was given the choice to come back to him, he chose someone else. If that didn’t feel like a punch in the gut, nothing did. It made him realize he needed to be better if he was ever going to get Alex back. Alex deserved better.

“So, uh, you asked me, but I never asked how you’ve been. How’s work? How’s Maria? How’s life?” Alex asked. He still had that soft smile and Michael was starting to wonder what medication they had him on. Or maybe he'd just finally touched that bottle of sertraline that he'd been prescribed.

"Uh, I'm about to start helping out on another ranch in the next week, so that'll be good. I, uh, I stopped drinking," Michael admitted. Alex lit up.

"Really? I'm so proud of you. How are you handling it?" he asked, leaning forward. Michael let out a long breath as he leaned back, trying not to feel too giddy by hearing Alex say he was proud.

"Not fantastic, if I'm honest," he huffed, "I mean, I'm fine. I just... have to work on managing my temper again. I feel like a kid again almost, like I don't have control. I don't know, it's weird."

"No, it's not. It's a process. It'll get easier. I'm so proud of you. And working on the ranch, having something physical to do, to tire you out and keep your mind off it is gonna help too, I'm sure of it," Alex said, mindlessly putting his hand on Michael's for a second before pulling it away. Michael wished he would've kept it.

"Thank you," Michael whispered. He didn't say how much he needed to hear that. Alex smiled.

"Any time. Also, you didn't say how Maria was. She was the only one who didn't come see me except for you. But maybe Kyle banished her too," he chuckled lightly. Michael licked his lips.

"I haven't seen her in a while. Ever since I started trying to get sober, I steer clear of the Pony," he admitted. Alex nodded slowly. "We broke up pretty much the minute I realized how bad I fucked up."

"Oh."

Micahel took a deep breath as he prepared to pour his heart out like he'd been wanting to do for weeks, but was forbidden to get close enough to do so. Here goes nothing.

"I can't say that I completely regret what I did because it made me see how badly I needed to work on myself before I could be what you deserve. I needed you to... not walk away, but to force me to see what I could be losing because of _myself. _I spent so many years blaming you and blaming your dad that I wasn't taking responsibility for my own actions. But I've been working and I think I'm at a good place. I would really, _really _like it if we could be friends... then see where it goes. I want to learn to talk with you and be healthy with you. If that's something you want, obviously."

Alex blinked a few times and his sweet little smile was gone, obviously processing everything he'd said. Michael tried not to let his silence feel like a rejection. And, if that's what it was, then he would take it just fine. He wouldn't lash out. As long as he kept insisting that he wouldn't, then he wouldn't.

It was only a little annoying that the moment he went to reply, Arturo brought them their plates.

They said their thanks and he quickly made himself scarce, still smiling at them. He was very clearly proud to play matchmaker. Micahel was starting to wonder if he'd asked him to come to fix the AC on this very specific day for a reason.

"Michael, I want that, I do," Alex said as soon as they were alone again. Michael gulped.

"But?"

"_But _I need to be absolutely sure that this is permanent and that you're willing to take it, like, really slow. You're not the only one with issues," Alex said. Michael's eyes went wide as he nodded.

"I know, I know, that's what I mean. Or, I meant to mean if I spoke better," Michael fumbled out, feeling a lot better when Alex's smile returned, "We're just both so fucked and it took me way too long to see that we're not fucked because of each other, but we're still standing because of each other." Alex's face tinted red and his eyebrows came together.

"Are you sure?"

"I have never been more sure about anything in my entire life. I only regret not telling you sooner. I regret not coming to you sooner."

Alex nodded, relaxing with a soft breath. He reached across the table for a fry from Michael's plate. Michael thanked every god that could hear him.

"Then okay."

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
